FREE Tech License Class

To those who have contacted ARCSquared about the Technician Class at the Red Cross ,here is some information for you:

Class Date: October 10, 2009!

Location: Red Cross Chapter, 209 Fairfield Road, Fairfield, NJ 07004

(Note to those attending the VE session which commences at 5PM. It is a closed session only for those who have taken the class with us that day. It will be for the Technician test only, but those who took the class and passed the Tech license exam may take the General license class without charge.)

NOTICE: As a Staff member or volunteer of the Northern New Jersey Regional Chapter, you have the opportunity to participate in a free class to prepare you for a Ham Radio license test. The Test and class will both take place on Saturday, October 10, 2009, at the Fairfield chapter, commencing at 9am. You are encouraged to attend, to take the test and receive a Technician Ham Radio license.

Northern New Jersey chapter’s need for Ham Radio communication:-

Perhaps you have noticed that we have installed ham radios in many of the former Metro Chapter’s disaster response vehicles. These are operated by the Chapter’s Ham Radio group, ARCSquared (Stands for American Red Cross Amateur Radio Club), an organization of volunteers and staff that provides communications during a disaster. The radios can communicate amongst themselves throughout our region, with the DOC in Fairfield, and with ham radios located in the other chapter location, as well as portable stations that will be established in shelters, interview sites and service centers. And they can communicate with others providing disaster response, including OEMS, and with ham radio operators everywhere,

Our new regional chapter is large with multiple offices and locations. And we have many vehicles. In a disaster we will likely set up multiple shelters in multiple counties. Ham radio will provide the backbone and support for these functions. Having a Ham Radio license will allow you to assist in communication. Without a license, you will be unable to transmit on the equipment.

And having a ham radio license makes you one of the millions of amateur radio operators. It is yours for your lifetime. Many ARCSquared members enjoy the hobby aspects of having a ham radio license, after having been introduced to the hobby through ARCSquared.

Specifics regarding the class:-

· The class is October 10, 9am and runs all day with the test at 5pm.

· ARCSquared supplies the instructor and the people to give the exam and light refreshments. In addition, we take a break for lunch at around 12pm and the test takers can either bring a sandwich or go out to one of the local delis or restaurants.

· Costs:- The Fcc charges $14 for the test. We recommend that the students buy a book – (more below) $18-$20.

For more information about the class, and study guides and assistance in studying, contact ARCSquared President and chapter volunteer Fred Schlesinger by email, fred@arcsquared.org,

Reservations are very much appreciated Please email Fred at the above email address so ARCSquared knows how many donuts to buy

Thanks

Fred Schlesinger WW2VEH, Arcsqared President and chapter volunteer

Test info:

Materials and test questions:-

· Link to the: Technician Study Sheet.(Ms Word printable file) Participants are asked to commit as much of this to memory as they can.

· There are many exam questions that are based on the information on this sheet.

· The book we recommend is Technician Class by Gordon West. (available locally and from Amazon.com}

· http://www.amazon.com/Technician-Class-Gordon-West/dp/0945053452 There are also several other books that cover the same materials and all contain all of the possible FCC exam questions along with answers and explanations. Locally, books for the technician test can be purchased at Barnes and Noble, KGI electronics on Bloomfield Avenue in Caldwell, and are also probably available at your local library. Make sure the book you get has the questions for the current test, which were released in 2005 for use in 2006 and beyond.

· The course we are running is based on the Gordon West book.

· There are several places online where sample tests can be taken, a powerful tool toward passing the exam. Links can be found elsewhere on the www.ARCSquared.org web site.

· Although some of the materials attached look a little intimidating, once you get familiar with the materials, it really isn’t. And the test itself is very forgiving. It is possible to pass without mastering all of this material. Twelve of 15 staff and volunteers passed in the first exam. About an equal proportion pass at each test.

The use of a book is recommended because it gives you a well rounded understanding of the capabilities of Ham Radio, and explains each question thoroughly. Much better than just recognizing the correct multiple choice answer. We find that participants that successfully pass the exam largely have studied the sheet and familiarized themselves with key sections of the book. And have drilled themselves on the sample tests available on the internet. One area of the book that seems to produce questions that appear most often is the last section on 'Your Safety' starting on p 160 of the West book

However, many have passed the test by just memorizing the materials attached, and a certain number have passed by just attending the class and taking the exam, but I wouldn’t recommend this latter course.

Question: What do I have to bring with me to the test???

Answer:

1. Several No 2 Pencils, with eraser ends

2. 2 forms of ID, one a picture ID. Legal residents only. You must put your Social Security number on the FCC form to receive your ham license from the FCC!

3. A pen

4. A calculator. Programmable or graphing calculators are not allowed

5. Lunch, or the ability to pop out quickly for lunch, and also a couple of snacks to get you through the day.

6. $14 the cost of the exam. Checks are preferred but cash is accepted (please bring exact amount of $14)

There is no additional fee to take the next exam,if you pass your first exam, ie you may take the General exam should you pass Technician, Etc. However, there is an additional $14 fee if you wish to retake a failed exam.

And note that walk-ins are not permitted to the VE session. It is open only to those who have taken the class.

Talking points- Reasons why Ham Radio is necessary for the chapter’s operations:-

· It provides multiple and redundant methods of communication, that does not rely upon the phone system or wireless providers, and it also provides real time interoperability with OEM’s and other responders.

· Besides the multiple ham repeaters that cover our region (we have 14 separate repeaters programmed into the chapter vehicles, and there are probably 20 more, the radios can communicate simplex, without using a repeater. We have recently tested simplex communication between Fairfield and Hackensack.

· Ham radio is the only solution that provides these features, which phones, cell phones, red cross radio, GMRS, and other types of communication cannot provide.

· The chapter currently owns ten multiple band ten handheld radios and which are in the hands of ARCsquared members. As members become active in ARCSquared, they will find themselves wanting to purchase their own radios, and we encourage them to do so and make the chapter’s radio available to new ARCSquared members.

· We are intent on putting base station ham equipment in all of the chapter’s physical locations for communication between offices in a disaster.

· ARCSquared has recently completed furnishing 4 “Go Kits” consisting of a 50 watt ham radio, power supply and antenna in a canvas bag, which is capable of being taken to a shelter or flood or other disaster and set up for instant communications back to HQ and to the ERVS, Shelter trucks and passenger vehicles supplying the system. And if there is a power failure, these can run for hours on a car battery. These are all chapter equipment and consist of donated equipment and newly purchased equipment from a fundraiser ARCSquared ran in the summer.

· ARCSquared currently has 20 active and ten inactive but callable volunteer hams licensed to use this equipment. In order to fully utilize this equipment and to be prepared for the next big flood or other disaster, we need to get more staff and volunteers licensed. I would like to have more than 50 active volunteers and staff licensed throughout the region.